Eastern Mud Turtle
(Kinosternon s. subrubrum)
Photo Courtesy of World Chelonia Trust
The eastern mud turtle is listed as Endangered in New York State and does not currently have a Federal Status. They are a small and are usually only three to four inches in length. The carapace of the eastern mud turtle is dark brown to olive in color and is patternless, smooth, and has no keel. Eastern mud turtles only possess 11 marginal scutes as opposed to the 12 that are found on most other species. The plastron is yellow to brown in color and is double hinged. Male eastern mud turtles can be identified by a blunt spine at the tip of the tail as well as rough scaly patches located on the inside of the rear legs.
Eastern mud turtles begin breeding after hibernation in late April and May. In June the female eastern mud turtle will dig a nest about three to five inches deep. Normally these nests are dug in plant debris or in sandy loam soil. Muskrat or beaver lodges can also be used as nest sites. Two to six eggs are deposited in the nest. In warmer climates up to three clutches can be laid a year, but in New York only one clutch is typically laid a year. Incubation takes about 76 days and may even over-winter in the nest. Eastern mud turtles in New York reach sexual maturity in 8 - 11 years.
You can find eastern mud turtles from Long Island to southern Florida and west to Texas and southern Illinois. There is also an isolated population in northwestern Indiana. There are only five populations remaining in New York State.
Mud turtles are semi-aquatic, though they can often be found away from the water during the summer months. They are usually found in bodies of fresh or brackish water. Eastern mud turtles prefer shallow slow-moving bodies of water with plenty of vegetation and a soft bottom. If the body of water dries up they will venture over land to find a new body of water. Eastern mud turtles will also sometimes bury themselves in mud and aestivate through the warm summer months. From September to April or May eastern mud turtles hibernate. They construct burrows in mud, sand or dry leaves that are about one to three feet deep and are below the frost line. Generally these burrows are located at marsh or field edges and can be as far as 600 to 1200 feet away from their pond.
The eastern mud turtle is the rarest species of turtle found in New York State. They are sometimes seen crossing roads in search of a new pond or nest sites which can lead to fatal accidents with cars. Drainage of wetlands for development have also contributed to the decline of the eastern mud turtle.